What lies behind the mask
by Therealdandj
Summary: Mackenzie is a girl who wishes she was someone else. There is hope when school is holding a masquerade ball. Drake meets a girl...but who is she? Chap 5... R&R!
1. Default Chapter

What Lies Behind the mask

Chapter 1- Cry baby

"Mom Please!" He pleaded on his knees hugging his mother's legs. "Just 1,500 for the guitar, mom, please, please, please!"

"No Drake, for the last time. It's too much money! Now go help Josh with the lawn." Audrey groaned as she struggled to walk. The boy sighed running a hand through his deep red hair and let his mother's legs go. Still on his knees he walked out with his hands on his hips looking like a midget. Once he got outside he stood up and looked at Josh who was humming a song and walking with the lawn mower across the yard. Noticing the walkman attached to Josh's belt hoop he rolled his eyes. Drake walked over and walked along side Josh who failed to notice him. The music was loud and was the A-teens, a little pop group that became big and disappeared. Josh had the music on full blast. Drake smirked and with one yank of the cord the lawnmower turned on. The sudden vibration made Josh scream a high pitched scream. "Why do it!" He asked Drake turning off the walkman and lawnmower.

"Sorry to break it to ya brotha but you kinda have to turn the mower on to cut the grass." Drake laughed putting his hands in his pockets. "I'd help you but I and Trevor are going to find suits for the masquerade ball. Don't tell mom. I should be home in an hour or two." Before Josh could retort Drake was over the fence and halfway down the street.

* * *

On Thursday at school Drake was chatting up a cheerleader who was not buying it. "Drake, what's my name?" The blonde haired blue eyes girl asked.

"Well… ummm… B- No that was last week… erm… Kelly? No that was last night… Tasha?" He asked. The girl rolled her eyes and walked off. "I know!" He called after her. "Ashley!"

"My names Brittany!" She called over her shoulder.

"Agh I knew it!" Drake whined and went to his locker opening it boredly.

A girl who had a locker 2 down from his walked up to hers. Drake never noticed the girl, nor did she expect him too. She pushed the plastic glasses up the bridge of her nose and inhaled. She wore knee high socks and very old Mary Janes. She wore a red plaid knee length skirt and a tacky big belt. She also wore a white blouse and a grey sweater vest. What would be beautiful black hair was knotted and put in 2 low ponytails. She opened her locker and took out her Algebra3 book and her Quantum Physics book as well. She was Mackenzie Wilson, your basic nerd, no friends, no life, besides studies. She never had a boyfriend, or a first kiss. She expected only 2 teachers knew her name, and that was it. She was basically invisible. Not even the geeks would hang out with her. With a sigh she closed her locker and hugged her books to her chest and leaned against her locker.

Drake closed his locker and his friend walked up to him. They began to walk and Drake bumped into Mackenzie making her books fall and papers fly. She jumped and immediately crouched to the floor to pick up her books. Drake didn't even turn to help or acknowledge her. Mackenzie sighed again and struggled around the floor for all the papers. Once she regained them all she stood up and ran to the bathroom in tears.

"What a crybaby." She heard some one say. She locked her self in a stall and stayed there the whole day crying.


	2. Still no guitar, but what's she hiding?

Chapter 2- Still no guitar, but what's she hiding?

Thursday went on as it usually did and Friday came. Mackenzie sat on the floor by her locker drawing a sketch of a sunset scene. She had recovered from yesterday but was still shaky and listening to everyone around her. She pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her body was still in almost the same outfit except her skirt was black and grey. She wondered about the ball that night and thought about going… Nah. What was the point? No one would notice her, or care on Monday. Her drawing became finished and it was rather good.

Drake walked up to his locker with Josh opening it. Mackenzie looked up at him glaring almost and then returned to her blank stare at her drawing.

"So… no guitar yet?" Josh asked leaning against the wall. Drake pouted and turned to Josh, "Mom won't budge." He said sounding almost on the verge of tears. Josh laughed at him.

"Drake, just raise your own money."

"I don't have a million years! Josh, the guitar is 1,500 I'll never afford it."

Mackenzie considered saying, "I could buy it," but pushed the thought aside. Her family was rather rich and she always secretly longed to talk to Drake, but he never noticed her.

"Just get a job… like you did at the premier." Josh suggested

"I don't like smelling like popcorn… its bad enough I have to sleep in the same room as you. I'll just keep bugging mom. Imagine me, holding a grey and black stratacaster345. All the babes would be chattin' me up." Drake said imagining his own little fantasy.

"Talk to ya later desperate" Josh shook his head walking off.

At lunch Mackenzie sat by herself by the trashcans as usual eating her stalk of celery. She looked down and over at the 'popular table' where Brittany Phillips sat. Brittany was the most popular, pretty, and nice girl in school. Well, she was nice when Drake Parker wasn't around. Mackenzie pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose again and looked down at her carrot sticks. She stood up and put the food in the trash can. Her eyes traveled to Drake who was with his friends and pretending to play an air guitar. That settled it… she wasn't going tonight. She slowly sat back down and took out a book that was 446 pages long and hid behind it as she usually did.

Drake's stepfather pulled him up to school. He climbed out of the car and looked around for Trevor. He put on his blue mask that covered his nose up, as everyone's did. He wore a black tux with a blue tie. His red hair had been spiked up but since he was the only boy in school with his color hair everyone noticed him. "Hey Drake." A few people said. He looked confused but then groaned. "Curse my good-looking hair." Drake walked into the school gym looking at everyone in their masks dancing. He walked over to his friend Trevor (They had told each other what they were wearing ahead of time.) "Hey Trev." Drake grinned putting his hand on his hips. His friend nodded a hello to him and continued snacking on mini donuts. Drake laughed at him and looked around bored-like. "This dance is a drag. By wearing this stupid mask no one can see how cute I am." He complained. Trevor nodded. "I know what you mean; we can't see how cute the girls are behind their masks."

"That's the point Mr. Parker… and Mr. Parker's friend." Said Mr. Calloway the 10th grade English teacher, "It's not about how pretty a girl is. It's about what's on the inside. This whole masquerade thing was my idea." He grinned. Drake put on a fake smile, "You know your right Mr. C. I've been wrong this whole time about girls. Why… you changed my life." He said passionately. Mr. Calloway grinned and walked off. "What a loser." Drake laughed as did Trevor. The night went along the same way for about 45 minutes. Drake danced with girls who had nice figures and pretty hair. Then… the unimaginable happened. To Drake it felt like time had stopped. Trevor hit his shoulder. "Earth to Drake." Drake turned to him and grabbed his shoulders shaking him. "I saw her," Drake said dreamily almost short of breath.

"Who her?" Trevor asked looking frightened at Drake shaking him.

"Her… THE her" Drake said making his e's long.

"You want t sit down Drake?" Trevor offered nodding twoards a chair.

"I'll be right back." Drake said following the direction he thought she had gone. There she was. In a beautiful shimmery pink gown that was sleeveless. She looked like an angel. Her mask was a pink as well but her eyes… her eyes were like gem's shimmering in the sunlight. Her eyelashes were long and beautiful, without mascara. The only makeup she really wore was shimmery pink lip gloss. Black hair was put up into a French twist and had a pink rose tied into it. She was an angelic creature sent from above just for Drake. Or so, that's what he thought. "Excuse me." He tried to say but his throat had suddenly gone dry. Drake grabbed a passer byer's water and drank it throwing the cup on the ground despite the look the person gave him. He walked up to her, "Excuse me." He said clearing his throat. The girl looked at him, "Y-yes?" She asked unsure he was talking to her. "Care to dance?" Drake asked offering his hand.

"I'm not very good." She admitted standing up to walk away.

"I don't care… just dance with me."

"But I wouldn't want to…"

"Please," He said in a whisper grabbing her hand to stop her.

She turned to him and looked at the hands, "Drake Parker…" She said letting go, "I prefer to dance with boys who know the girls names."

"What is your name?" Drake asked sounding slightly hurt.

"That would ruin the concept." She gave in as a slow song began to play.

"Please." Drake said again. She kept his hand in hers and put her hand on his shoulder. Drake felt a jolt in his stomach and put his hand on the curve of her hip. They slowly danced looking at each other. "So… will you tell me who you are now?" Drake asked hopefully but she merely shook her head.

"Very well…" Drake sighed and spun her around like princess and took her in his arms again.

"My Cinderella night…." She said almost inaudibly. "So, you think a strat.345 will make girls like you?" She asked.

"Don't you think? I me- wait… how did you know about the guitar." He aid looking at her.

"I just do… I play the guitar. I'm not in a band or anything but I sit in my room writing songs."

"You really are perfect." Drake had an extremely rare sense of tenderness in his voice.

"I'm far from it." She said looking up at him. They dance in each others arms for a half hour despite the beat of the song. Out of his ladies man instinct he slowly lowered his lips onto hers. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled away, "Who are you?" he asked. She shook her head again knowing he'd run off if he knew who she was. "Do you believe in love at first sight?" He asked.

"In some ways." She whispered. His hand traveled up to her mask. He slowly began to lift it but she pulled off quickly looking at the clock. "I have to go." She said running off.

That was it. Drake looked for her the whole night and couldn't find her. He never felt this way… he never met a girl like her. Now she was gone, and he felt like his heart had been ripped out and stuck under a train.

He walked in his house throwing the mask on the couch and sitting down staring off into space. Walter put down the keys to the car on the counter and looked at him, "What's wrong Drake?"

"I'm in love… with a girl who I don't know."


	3. Little Love Notes

Chapter 3- Little Love Notes

Drakes father was obviously confused, "Exactly what did I miss?" He asked, "I knew you were quiet the whole way home, but you…. In love?" Walter obviously didn't get it. "And, you don't know her."

"You don't understand, I know her, but, I don't know from where. She was beautiful, nice, and a little reluctant on telling me who she was…" He sighed, "if only she let me take off the mask."

"Drake, do you feel all sweaty, kind of like if you jumped off the eifell tower you'd survive, do you feel like if you don't hold on to the couch you'll float away but you can't move?"

Drake nodded dreamily but looked at him, "How'd you know!

"All men go through it, it's a deadly illness called 'the love bug.'"

"I don't want it to go away." Drake sighed rubbing the back of his neck.

"Don't worry, son, it won't." Walter was now grinning from ear to ear, "Oh Audrey you gotta hea-" Walter was stopped by Drakes hand over his mouth.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Walter! This is between you and me, no mom, not Josh, not Megan, not even the grass on the lawn can know. Capisce?"

Walter nodded and Drake removed his hand, "I'm going to bed," Drake said this and seemed to float to and up the stairs. Once their, he got dressed with out a word and laid down into his pillow, off to dreamland, back to his hour of lust with… Her.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

The next morning at 6:30 his alarm went off. He groggily slapped the button and sat up. He looked at around as if to hope his dream girl in his room, waiting to dance with him forever. No such luck. He stood up and climbed down his ladder to the bathroom which was empty. Josh had already been in there. He walked in and looked at his reflection and pictured, her, behind him with her mask on and gown still on, she put his hand on his shoulder and lifted her other hand to her mask about to take it off… KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Drake hurry up! I need to get ready!" It was Megan.

Drake didn't answer and looked back at the mirror, she was gone. He washed his face, and brushed his teeth as usual and looked at his reflection. He grabbed his tube of hair gel and squirted a little in his hand. Drake rubbed his hands together, to spread the gel out and ran his hands through his hair to spike it. Drake opened the door, "Way to ruin a man's fantasy," he said annoyed.

"You? A man… ha! Hardly." She said walking in and slamming the door. Drake jumped and shook his head walking back to his room. He went through his wardrobe while Josh begged to hear about the dance. Drake didn't tell him anything as he got dressed in to a white t-shirt and a blue button up shirt. On his legs he put baggy, faded jeans. He ignored Josh and walked out.

At school Drake was looking at every girl… but not because of their looks. He could remember her eyes… oh her eyes. They were soft, but intense, scared, but happy. No one girl's eyes matched the description. He walked to his locker not noticing the girl sitting on the ground reading. Mackenzie looked up at him and hesitantly said, "H-Hi… Drake." He didn't reply obviously not noticing her as usual. She wore jeans… wait, something must be wrong. Mackenzie Wilson… in jeans. Um… okay –shrug- She wore a white button up shirt and her hair were in the same knotty pigtails. She was back to wearing glasses, instead of the contacts her mom bought her.

Drake sighed leaning on his locker, "Where are you?" He said softly looking around. Mackenzie rolled her eyes and stood up stalking off, but this time she didn't cry.

After turning back to his locker Drake saw a note fall out. The note had a pink rose taped to it. Drake plummeted to the floor picking it up. He took off the rose and inhaled it; it smelled like her hair, like her body. He sighed dreamily and quickly unfolded the note.

_Dear Drake,_

_I can't explain how much you made my night light up. I never felt so safe, so warm. When I'm in your arms … well when I was in your arms… I never wanted to leave. But, Drake, I'm a girl you could never love. For reasons I cannot tell you, I am writing this not to tell you that you can never find out… what lies behind the mask. I will continue to write notes and if you ever find out who I am, you will know why we could never be._

_Affectionately,_

_Masked_

_P.S. If you must, write back, and tape it to your locker._

_Xoxo_

Drake frowned as he folded up the note. He had been hoping that it would tell her hwo he was, but instead, it was the complete opposite. He unfolded it once more and read it several times. A smile played on his lips and her grabbed a piece of paper from his notebook and a pencil from the ground and quickly wrote:

_Dear Masked,_

_I wish you could tell me your "true identity". I've been trying to figure out who you were for hours, I dremt about you, I even thought I saw you in my bathroom. You must think I am pathetic to think of such things. No matter who you are, your beautiful, I wanted to hold you the whole night. Why, masked, did you not let me take off the mask. Why are you so bent against me knowing who you are. Masked, I think I love you._

_Always yours,_

_Drake_

He folded it up and put it in his pocket. He'd get tape later but now he was late for class. A teacher was looking at him, "er… sorry. I was just… going to calss now." His voice got squeaky as he scrambled up still clutching the rose and running to class.


	4. Listen to me!

Chapter 4- Listen To Me!

4 days went past, Drake had taped his note to his locker and it was gone by lunch. Masked hadn't written back yet, and this made Drake upset. It was now Saturday night. Josh was sitting at his desk chair typing away on his Miss Nancy column. Drake was sitting in his bed playing his guitar… softly and in a ballad. Drake was acting very strange. He jumped as Josh jumped up knocking the chair over, "DRAKE! You have to read this!" Drake threw his guitar on his bed and jumped off of it. He landed on his feet and walked over, "What is it?" He asked. Josh pointed to the computer screen.

Drake turned t he chair back over and sat down scooting closer to the screen:

Dear Miss Nancy,

There's a boy, I really like him. He said he's in love with me, but… he doesn't know who I even am. I'm afraid if he finds out who I am, he will run away.

Signed,

Masked

Drake re-read it more times than he read the note she gave him. His eyes traveled to the pink rose that was beginning to wilt on his desk. "Why is she so scared?" He asked himself. Josh shrugged. He had found out because Drake told him after losing a bet on the games sphere. "Maybe if you weren't such a pig all the time…" Josh said as he went back to his computer and pushed Drake out of the chair.

"Why would she care how I eat?" Drake asked running a hand through his hair.

"I meant towards girls, you only give the ones who are blonde, and/or hot to your liking."

"Well, that's how my dad was… he cheated on my mom and she found out. That's why they divorced. I was 12 and Megan was… 4."

"I never knew that," Josh said sympathetically.

"Don't worry about it…" He sighed. "All that matters is finding out who Masked is and never let her go again."

Josh grinned, "good for you Drake… what about your date tonite though?"

"Who? Oh Stacey! I have to call her and tell her I can't make it. If Masked is there and see's me, she might change the way she feels about me… and I'd be totally crushed." He went over to the phone picking it up and dialing the number on the hand. Ring, ring, ring, ring.

"Hello?" A high pitched voice answered.

"Stacey? Hey, um… it's Drake."

"Drake? Hi! I can't wait till tonite for our date."

"Yeah about that, Stacey, ummm I can't make it. Uh… I'm sick."

"That's funny, you don't sound sick."

"Oh I'm sicker than a dog," He coughed fakely, "Uhhh, I got to go, um… puke." He quickly hung up.

"Well, that was believable," Josh snickered and began to type again.

Drake hit Josh on his head and sat back up on his bedpicking up the rose as a petal fell off. He sighed, "Do you think I'm being crazy?"

"Besides the fact that you just hit me, not really. I don't know how you feel but I guess this is what you do when you're in love." Josh continued to type and then turned to Drake who was staring aimlessly at the pillow on his bed. Josh nodded and left the room and went down stairs.

Suddenly an idea popped into his head and he grabbed a piece of paper and began to write things down. All of a sudden he couldn't wait till school.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Monday came and Drake had made sure he looked his best. Not that it mattered. He chose not to spike his hair and just brush it. His body had been adorned in a blue button up shirt and his legs were in his nicest pair of jeans. Not that it mattered. Drake ran downstairs and slung his backpack over his shoulder. A hand patter his pocket to make sure the paper was still there. Without speaking a word to anyone he was off to school.

Once he got there he rushed to the office. "I have an announcement. Would you mind if I said it this morning?" The office assistant looked up at him and shrugged not really caring. "We still have a few minutes. Why don't you take a seat and I'll tell you when we're about to start." Drake nodded and took a seat. His palms were sweaty and shaking. Why was he so nervous? Maybe this was a bad idea. What if she just thought of him as desperate? He stood up to leave and the office assistant looked at him, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You stay. I already have you written down for an announcement."

Reluctantly, Drake sat down and nodded wiping his hands on his jeans. The time seemed to fly before the assistant waved him over. She began her announcements and when she was done she said, "And now for an announcement from Drake Parker." She slid the mic. over to him. Her nodded and took the piece of paper from his pocket.

"Ummm, Hi. At the masquerade dance last week I met someone. She was wonderful." Drake read from the paper. He sighed and cumbled the paper up. "It's funny. I spent over 4 hours writing down what I was going to say and now it seems so pointless. I just want to say, Masked. Whoever you are, I want to meet you. Write me a note and put it in my locker. You are the most amazing person I have ever met, and I don't even know your name. I need to know who you are, it feels like I can't live without knowing your name even if I never get to talk to you again. Please. Please just answer me," He was now blushing, "Thanks."

He turned to the assistant who had a hanky dabbing her eyes sniffling. "That was beautiful."

"Thanks." He sighed and walked out to the hall where he looked around to see a girl dead in her tracks. "Uh… you okay?"

The girl was Mackenzie. She stared at him shaking then turned and walked quickly out of his eye sight. Something about her was familiar… Drake shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets walking back to his locker to grab his things for class.


	5. You were right there

Chapter 5- You were right there…

Mackenzie sat in front of her locker the whole lunch period. She had changed to jeans but kept her blouse and knotty hair and glasses. She hugged her knees close to her chest and nibbled on her thumb staring aimlessly at the floor. A tear ran down her cheek… she never thought she'd be the one to break Drakes heart, it was always the opposite way around. She thought about the letter she wrote him and wiped her eyes. She looked around then back at the floor, she couldn't stand anyone seeing her cry and calling her a cry baby. She banged her head against the locker when she leaned back all though it wasn't completely unintentional. How could she be so stupid, he would find out who she was and totally run away thinking he was a fool for judging someone by their personality. She looked up to see a hopeful looking Drake rush towards her. She quick wiped her eyes and stood up turning away from him. He didn't even acknowledge her before opening his locker to find her note sitting there. He quickly grabbed it and opened it reading it quickly. He stopped dropped the note and looked around. His eyes turned red but hr bent down and picked up the note…. Why hadn't he noticed Mackenzie yet? He read it again just to make sure he understood… in red pen he read:

_Drake,_

_Just stop. If you haven't noticed me before then just stop. I've been right in front of you the whole time. Just leave me alone and stop making me break your heart. You don't even know me and you confess it to the whole school. Just leave me alone._

_My Deepest Apologies,_

_Mackenzie._

'Mackenzie?' He thought in his head looking around before he himself started to cry as well. He sniffled wiping his eyes as Mackenzie had done. She turned to him and shook her head beginning to walk away. Finally Drake noticed her and looked at her wiping his eyes and trying to act masculine, "How long were you there!" He asked his voice cracking.

"The whole time…" She told him over her shoulder and crossed her arms in front of her and turned the corner. What had she meant by… the whole time? Drake sniffled leaning against his locker. He blew it. Meanwhile…

Mackenzie walked over to the popular table… to Brittany. "Umm… Hi." Brittany Phillips greeted her with an awkward smile.

"Brittany… can I talk to you alone?" Mackenzie asked on the balls of her feet. Brittan shrugged, "Umm sure." She stood up waved to her friends and led Mackenzie to the girls' bathroom and sat on of the sinks "What can I help you with, ummm…"

"Mackenzie, my names Mackenzie. To a certain boy I'm known as… masked." She had closed her eyes when she had said it.

"Wait… you're masked? The girl Drakes gaga for?" Brittany let out a laugh. She then frowned, "Umm I'm sorry… that was uncalled for. What's up?"

"I broke his heart… I'm feeling horrible about it. I'm just scared about him finding out I'm… well… me."

"Continue..."

"I need a makeover; I want him to remember what I looked like at the dance. That's the girl he loves… not me." Brittany was now grinning from ear to ear, "Don't worry. You live across the street from me right? The big house with the pool?"

"Yup that's me." Mackenzie nodded bashfully.

"Come over tonight… around eight-ish?"

Mackenzie nodded biting her fingernail.

* * *

Drake lay on his bed crying in his pillow. The cloth stuck to his cheek. Megan walked in and he sniffled sitting up wiping his eyes and turned away acting like he was looking through CDs. "There's a package for you, downstairs-… Drake you okay?" Megan asked sitting on the couch.

"I'm fine… just dandy… I'll be down in a minute, "he told her climbing from his bed and over to the desk not looking at Megan.

"Are you crying?" She asked walking over giving her older brother a light hug, "You okay?"

"I'M FINE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" He shouted at her making her jump and recoil running downstairs.

About a half an hour later he walked downstairs and saw a large package in the shape of a guitar case on the couch. Drake rushed over and looked at the return address… there was none. He unwrapped it and opened the case… there in front of his eyes lie his Strat 345 that he had been wanting forever. He picked it up and saw a not below it. A hand picked it up and he recognized the hand-writing. Opening it he read:

_Drake,_

_I take it back… everything… I'm sorry. Meet me at the premier at 7 tomorrow night._

_Mackenzie_

He smiled widely the realized she bought the guitar for him. "She must be pretty rich." He thought to himself and looked towards the door then the clock.

* * *

**Hey guys…. I realized my story has been losing it's touch. I'm sorry, but my next one that is currently in progress, A rose by another name… is hopefully a hit. R&R please! Any ideas? TELL ME! . Thanks….**


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